>The taped-over camera and microphone jack are usually a signal that someone is concerned, perhaps only vaguely, about hackers’ gaining access to his or her devices by using remote-access trojans — a process called “ratting.” (Remote access is not limited to ratters: According to a cache of National Security Agency documents leaked by Edward J. Snowden, at least two government-designed programs were devised to take over computer cameras and microphones.)

>Security experts supported the taping, for a few good reasons:

>• The first is that Mr. Zuckerberg is a high-value target.

>“I think Zuckerberg is sensible to take these precautions,” Graham Cluley, an online security expert and consultant, wrote in an email Wednesday. “As well as intelligence agencies and conventional online criminals who might be interested in targeting his billions, there are no doubt plenty of mischievous hackers who would find it amusing to spy upon such a high-profile figure.”

>• The second is that covering photo, video and audio portals has long been a basic and cheap security safeguard.

>“Covering the camera is a very common security measure,” Lysa Myers, a security researcher at the data security firm ESET, said in an email. “If you were to walk around a security conference, you would have an easier time counting devices that don’t have something over the camera.”

>• Third, Mr. Zuckerberg is not immune to security breaches.

>A recent hacking of his Twitter and LinkedIn accounts shows that he most likely committed two basic privacy faux pas: He may have used the same password across several websites and did not use two-factor authentication.

>Judging from his photo, however, it appears that Mr. Zuckerberg was taking simple precautions to protect himself from anyone who may try to gain remote access.

>The practice is fairly technologically simple: Hackers trick people into clicking on links or unfamiliar websites containing malware that allows them access to the devices.

>Mr. Zuckerberg is not the only high-profile case: James Comey, the director of the F.B.I., also puts tape over his computer’s webcam, for surprisingly simple reasons, according to NPR:

>“I saw something in the news, so I copied it,” Mr. Comey said. “I put a piece of tape — I have obviously a laptop, personal laptop — I put a piece of tape over the camera. Because I saw somebody smarter than I am had a piece of tape over their camera.”

>People who are not billionaires or high-ranking government officials are not without risk, said Stephen Cobb, a senior security researcher at ESET.

>“For people who are not C.E.O.s, the threat is people scanning the internet for accessible webcams for a range of motives, from voyeurism to extortion,” Mr. Cobb wrote in an email.

>Experts don’t have a good estimate for how often such attacks occur, but according to a 2015 report released by the nonprofit Digital Citizens Alliance, the practice is a growing problem for consumers, especially young women. The report also said that trojans account for some 70 percent of all malware.

>“They’ve been one of the most popular types of malware on every operating system, for quite a long time,” Ms. Myers, of ESET, said. “The best ways to protect against them are to update all your software on your machine regularly, and use reputable security software, including anti-malware and a firewall.”

>>52922
How does this translate to smartphones?

Sage because not /news/

>>52939
Throw your phone in the trash.

>>52939
Take your pocket knife and carve the hell outta the camera lenses so its just a big blur

>>52922
So the malware turns the cameras on without activating the lights that turn on with the camera? Is that possible?

>>52979
most models don't have lights

>>52979

Absolutely - my Logitech c290 has a setting for light on or off when activated.

I don't know how anyone can have cameras staring at them constantly, on their porn machine no less, and be totally cool with that. Especially nutcases who take their phones into the shitter with them.
I cover all my cameras, always have.

>>52979
Yes, they are wired independently.

>>53005
Me too, but people find it weird. Fuck normies.

>>52939
>>52962
Snowden takes apart the phone and manually disconnects them.
https://news.vice.com/article/state-of-surveillance-with-edward-snowden-and-shane-smith
First 15 seconds of the video and 14:15 in.

>>53083
Yeah saw the Vice interview where he did it.

Also showed a device that can access phones within a radius.

Equipment costs only about a grand.

>>52939
I cut out a very small piece of the sticky side of a sticky note and place it over the lens.

Do people hack into other random people's cameras? Like just for laughs

>>53632
You dont?

>>53642
Nope, not a hacker, just curious

>someone saw me jerking off
>this arouses me more

>>53642
you think we all are hackers?
im only studying for defensive

>>52922
Covering your camera is like shutting the blinds/pulling the curtains. Why wouldn't you?

>>53685
>shutting the blinds/pulling the curtains
A lot of people don't do that, too.

I want to use the laptops/phones/tablets around my house to keep an eye on things while im out ..what program can i use to do that?

>>52979
Yes in fact there are examples of malware that also contains camera and microphone drivers

So disabling in device manager (like idiot redditors do) does nothing

What a ridiculous article. I'm amazed people buy into this shit.

I agree that corporate espionage is a thing, but no one is taking the time and effort to hack your camera. The payoff is ridiculously low.

I swear you people have no critical thinking skills. Shouldn't you be hiding from the zika outbreak or the Isis invasion of the us?

Fucking gullible faggots

>>54318
Do you know how prevalent malware is dumbass?

>>54320
Massively blown out of proportion is the answer, so yes

>>54318
>Shouldn't you be hiding from the zika outbreak or the Isis invasion of the us?
If it was as easy as putting a square cm of tape over something, sure, might as well.

I get why people do this, but unlike Zuck I don't have much to hide from hackers (save for my credit card number or social insurance number).

>>52922
>own self-built desktop pc
>no camera nor microphone

feels good man

>>52922
I live in the city Zuckerberg does and every time I go to Starbucks all you see is people with cameras covered up on their laptops.

Pretty funny how mass hysteria works. I do still believe it's a safe practice, I did it prior to this. Maybe future laptop designs will have a built in slide to block the camera because of this.

>>52939
Small square of electrical tape over front webcam

>>53051
>people find it weird
They don't even know what apps can access the camera

>>54318
Mr Zukerburg knows a piece of tape is like a condom, 99% effective

>>54518
Maybe he'll popularise it

>>52922

Okay so consider the following:

>Zuckerberg pisses off some talented hacker and decides to after Zuckerberg's money

>hacker successfully nabs billions and there is no paper trail

Would his bank refund him his 35 Billion dollars?

How pissed would he be

It could happen, i'm waiting for it.

>>52922
I've been doing this on tablets and phones for years. Just the tinfoil in me,. I've never taken a selfie, and I don't want my tablet recording my oh face.

>>54577
His $35B isnt just sitting in a checking account at Chase; it's probably spread all over the world if he has half a brain.

>>53632
not randomly hack, its a waste of time n effort doing something like that what could you possibly gain from random stranger, you want nudes? It could be a random fat guy

Hackers choose their targets for a purpose

You should block the mic first. Also on a laptop activating the webcam without having the light would probably be not worth the effort.
https://youtu.be/zYY3n4YWvFo

>>54777

I don't talk in front of my laptop. If people want to listen to me sit in silence, hear my music, hear me sing along terribly to my music, hear me swearing at the air whenever the computer fucks up (it's the fucking computer's fault, it's knowingly and maliciously fucking with me!) and generic heavy breathing that could belong to anyone when I exercise and "exercise", power to them.

>>53774
A lot of people don't have sex in front of open windows too.

But hey, isn't this whole kerfluffle about something mootykins (blessed be his name) made a while back? He 3d printed a little clip-on cover for laptop cameras/mics for the express purpose and making people think about this kind of thing? (It was a little publicity event he was attending for someone, IDK.) I can't be the only one who remembers this.

>>52922
There is some beautiful irony in Zuckerberg taping up his cameras when he owns and created facebook, the social platform that changed the entire internet to encourage everyone to upload all their personal information and let people spy on them.

>>55650
yes, this, especially considering facial recognition is one of the new ways facebook forces you to verify new accounts.

>>54488
May the dubs be with you

It's a good idea.
I remember being relieved when my old laptop camera broke.